


Forces Unknown To Them

by DreamingStarChild



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27550438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingStarChild/pseuds/DreamingStarChild
Summary: Everything about life was a matter of chance. A matter of experience's and bonds
Kudos: 4





	1. Faster: Prologue

Each second, each step, each burst of energy around his body he was counting every single one of them in tune and at once with the fast beating of his heart and the fast blur of swirling light convulsing with living force and power around him, trying to grip him back into it bounce him off who knows where this time when he fails,  
  
… _No!_  
  
_I can’t fail. I’m so close, the closest I’ve gotten yet!,_  
  
The feeling of running through nothing but everything burned every step forward he made…or would it be backwards in this case?, he wasn’t sure at this point and really didn’t need to try and question it right now!,  
  
The light ahead brighten convulsing violently apart welcoming a white plain of clearing in front of him,  
  
his heart continued beating wildly, the control of his limbs feeling his own again as he came closer to the end goal, _A little Faster,_ The artic white snow was so close, a sharp chill ran up Wally’s spine, screwing his eyes shut tightly as he ran full force towards it now, _I’m almost there. I just need to be a little…_  
  
_FASTER!,_  
  
Wally’s feet slipped from under him. For a brief moment his worst fears clouded his mind being lost in the speedforce again and going off to who knows where if he does, never seeing the faces of everyone he loves **again**!,  
  
But his shoulder collided with icy ground as sharp pain rang throughout his body, he went tumbling to a hard stop on his back after sliding a good two feet,  
  
Snow fell onto his face spotting up his red goggles as he stared up at the cloudy gray sky above a little dazed. It was getting stuck in his hair, chilling his face with cold bites,  
  
”I’m…I’m back!” Wally laughed aloud to himself with probably the biggest grin he’s had in a long time. Being stuck in the cold snowy artic meant nothing to him right now, He’s finally back after all this time he could hardly believe it!,  
  
_I’m home…I did it!,_ He wasn’t stuck in the future. And he wasn’t stuck in the speedforce he was back…Back home,  
  
Laughter turned to sobbing. A whirl wind of emotions crashed into Wally with the happiness of being home,  
  
Wally gasped a numb feeling washing over his whole body, His focus was slipping, Twitching. He suddenly realized how much he was actually twitching now, vibrating more like it with the speed and force his body shifted around on the ice cold ground,  
  
Fear returned as everything started to darken around the edges, the losing control in his body movements, Very vaguely he could hear a loud thundering noise and watched helpless as slowly a shadow appeared standing above him,  
  
**”What a surprising development”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy oh boy oh boy. i have fallen into my yj cartoon hole again, so what else to do but write a canon rewrite+hopeful ideas for s4
> 
> (i haven't written dc anything since i was 9 years old that was 10 flipping years ago!)
> 
> i miss the og team so much and want them back together again


	2. Information

Dick listened to mechanical humming of the elevator as it pulled him up the floors of the hub building. He could see a sight reflection of himself in the metal shine across from him, he’s yet to put on his domino mask,  
  
There were dark bags underneath his eyes. He’s gotten so little sleep as of late and it’s starting to show horribly,  
  
Sighing to himself Dick lifted up his hand clutching the small mask in his hand before willing himself to put it on,  
  
 _This is a really bad idea. Worst one I’ve had in a while,_ If he’s lucky M’gann should be the only here right now, and if he’s not then it would be Conner and M’gann…or worse Artemis,  
  
And the chances of seeing Kaldur visit them at the hub instead of the watchtower lately were so little. Plus the fact he’s off on his justice league mission as their Aquaman,  
  
M’gann was the easiest option. At least about 60% the easiest which is not a lot but more then the others that was for sure,  
  
The elevator came to a stop opening the doors with a soft click. It wasn’t hard to spot M’gann, she was floating in the air with couch cushions around her pulling out the trash stuffed underneath them by Gar most likely,  
  
”Hi Dick!” M’gann floated down to the ground smiling at him “Early as always huh?”  
  
He returned the smile half heartedly as he stepped out to the main floor meeting her halfway glancing around the hub as he spoke “I mean I got to be a good example to the kid’s right?”  
  
She rolled her eyes jokingly “I doubt that works at all I mean none of them are even here soo~”,  
  
 _Perfect._ **  
**  
”M’gann…can I talk about something with you for a moment?” Dick asked looking around the hub once more, a part of him screamed to shut up now and continue his investigation on his own, but he promised no more lies…And it means this too,  
  
She blinked in confusion for a moment before a soft questioning smile appeared on her face “Of course!. Is something the matter?”,  
  
Okay he should’ve shut up. This was a bad idea, **It** is a very bad idea, _How do I even word this fuck,_  
  
Rubbing at the back of his neck Dick shifted in place eyes dropping down to the ground for a long moment before making eye contact again “First I just want to say don’t get mad”,  
  
”Dick” M’gann’s voice warned him harshly upset written all over her face as she crossed her arms across her chest, “What did you do” she ordered more so then asked him,  
  
For couple weeks he’s been looking into a cycle of zeta uses in the span of the past two months, all of them at seemingly random places across the globe,  
  
It seemed like a possible mission for the team to handle. He was going to make it a mission till…  
  
Dick took a deep breath letting his arms drop to his sides limply. “I found Wally” he nearly choked on the answer,  
  
M’gann’s face looked horrified staring at him like he just shot her in the chest. She said nothing to him in response expect for a small “Oh Dick…” in a heart broken tone,  
  
Quickly he pulled up the images and notes he’s made thus far. “No look M’gann” he said calmly while showing off a slightly clear blur caught on a street cam showing minor features, like a hand some black boots and curly red hair, Wally’s curly red hair at that,  
  
”I found this three weeks ago with some evidence of a fight and have been tracking a trail since” he explained watching as M’gann slowly read through his research in detail expression unchanging,  
  
“Wally’s back…I don’t know how and to be honest I don’t care but he’s alive”  
  
She made Dick lower his arm making the hologram flicker out. ”I know you miss Wally. Dick…But _this_ ” She paused taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, “It’s not real” she said bluntly looking deep into his eyes,  
  
Dick didn’t waver from her disbelief. “None of the other speedsters were at any of these places at the time nor when this picture was taken, I compiled the time and place of each of them to be sure”  
  
M’gann’s hands reached for Dick’s shoulder’s. Gripping them tightly as she looked utterly worried for him, “Dick listen to me plea-“  
  
“Wally slowed enough for himself to be caught on this camera for a reason M’gann. And upon searching the area I find clues left by him” _he needs me…he needs me to find him,_  
  
M’gann let go of Dick’s shoulder sighing deeply to herself in frustration bringing a hand up to her brow. “And why in the world would he not return right back to us? To Artemis?” she asked,  
  
”Because-“  
  
”Because what? You know he wouldn’t play…play a game about this if he was here” M’gann reached out suddenly grabbing his hands and holding them gently in her own, her thumbs rubbing across the top of his gloved hands “This isn’t health for you” she said gently as if her words would scare Dick off,  
  
”Think about how this fake scenario is and will effect you and everyone else, It’s been four years, Artemis is trying to heal Conner Kaldur and me are trying to heal, and you…Need to start healing”  
  
Dick closed his eyes hearing the humming beat of his heart pulsing in his ears, there were tears in his eyes trying to escape, _I don’t need to heal._   
  
”It’s because he can’t get back to us. Someone has him and He needs my help-our help,”  
  
The comforting strokes of M’gann’s hands stopped. A heavy silence hanged over them as neither of them spoke or moved,  
  
Dick dared to reopen his eyes again expecting rage or concern from his close friend,  
  
Instead M’gann stared brokenly at him,  
  
”No” her hands went limp releasing Dick’s “We’re not doing this” A cold feeling gripped him as M’gann moved away from him lowly floating above the ground,  
  
It was his turn to be the confused one blinking in shock at her processing what she was implying but failing to find a answer to her cold empty tone, “D-Doing what? Helping him? saving him? M’gann Wally needs us!”  
  
”He doesn’t need us Dick he-“  
  
”Yes he does!”  
  
”Wally’s **_dead_**!” She shouted. M’gann shouted at him,  
  
That sentence. The sentence they’ve all said a handful of times, Whenever they dared to speak of Wally, It was always with words like ‘lost’ ‘gone’ ‘without’ almost never the word ‘dead’,  
  
She realized it almost intently gasping as she covered her mouth tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry…oh my god Dick” M’gann landed back on the floor with a thud trying for a hug,  
  
“I-I wasn’t trying to hurt you by saying that”  
  
  
He’s starting to wonder if he is developing knack for showing up at the worst possible time’s in the world sometimes,  
  
On one hand Bart didn’t step out of his room in the hub knowing it would lead to him over hearing M’gann and Nightwing talking about…Wally, and yet on the other he hasn’t made a move to announce himself to them both,  
  
So now he’s here. Hiding as he listens to people he can hardly look in the eyes sometimes talk about his dead cousin,  
  
What a fun Saturday right?,  
  
”I-I wasn’t trying to hurt you by saying that”  
  
Bart dared a glance down after M’gann said that. It was an awful 13 minutes of them talking. Dick claiming that Wally was back from the dead, showing off his impressive notes with scarily sound time points of him Barry Jay and Max to her and then…  
  
This whole big fight not fight happening down there was intense. Bart’s never seen such a range of emotion like this on Dick before,  
  
He took snapshots of some of Dick’s digital notes a bit ago with his phone and zoomed in reworked the image quality and read them over while M’gann tried to talk to Dick calmly about his grief and telling him he’s making up something from nothing out sadness and longing,  
  
The sadness and longing part for sure was a big part of this whole thing. But it being nothing that was just untrue,  
  
And not only because Dick made sure he was rarely ever wrong. But also because everything he put together made complete and utter sense when you think about it and break it down perfectly, there are only a handful of speedsters in this point of time (and two of them still wet the bed),  
  
 _Geez Dick even worked out how it couldn’t be professor Zoom too. Is he like sleeping at all? That dude is not easy to keep tabs on!,_  
  
But it does leave the big question M’gann proposed. If Wally was back then why wouldn’t come running back to them all?,  
  
Why would he be leaving clues only Dick would pick apart to it being him?,  
  
”Okay” Dick spoke up again causing Bart to jump. “I’ll drop it”,  
  
His tone was calm and leveled in a way that was a little scary. Dick normally talked light and a tad smug,  
  
Bart decided he had enough of listening in and it was time for his exit. Zipping across and vibrating through his room’s door before either of them could see or sense him, he let out a deep breath once in the safety of his room,  
  
Pulling back up the images he stared down at the blur of motion caught on camera with a frown _What’s going on Wally?,_


	3. Set in motion

”Rise and shine!”,  
  
Wally winced as a bright light shined onto his face. Trying but failing to lift his arms up to block it, _oh…right tied up again can’t move really,_ “There we go” the light was taken away once Deathstroke was sure he was awake enough,  
  
”Sleep well?” he asked casually like they were old pals catching up. Taking a seat in the single chair there was in this room,  
  
Wally shrugged the best he could glaring at the man “No actually”,  
  
”Eh could be worse we could’ve made you sleep up right in this chair for your stunt this time”,  
  
”Hmm might actually prefer that over staring at your face each morning”,  
  
That got a reaction out him. A tightening fist and a drop of his shoulder’s, “Sportsmaster can wake you up then”  
  
”Oooh! I like him though unlike you!. Plus I dated his daughter y’know” if Wally was going to be stuck with these awful people he could at least make they’re lives a little bit of hell with his remarks,  
  
Deathstroke sighed pushing himself up and out of the chair and stocking his way over to Wally. “Games again? Don’t you get tired of this pointless back and forth” he asked leaning down staring at him through his masked face,  
  
Wally just shrugged again smirking smugly “Not really no!” he put an extra cheer into his voice to be extra annoying,  
  
”I really don’t know why they want to keep you alive kid”  
  
”Because I’m handsome duh”  
  
He lifted his arm up high. Wally flinched closing his eyes,  
  
A hit never came though, instead his bindings were cut freeing his arms. “You can untie your legs on your own kid flash, you know the drill by now outside this room in two minutes or **_else_** you’ll regret it”  
  
Deathstroke left the room not even looking back at him. Wally watched as the door closed letting out a breath in relief, _That went well, No new info but well none the less,_  
  
Wally looked down to his tied ankles. This has been the routine for two months for him,  
Though the tied up part is only when he tries to escape like he did two days ago when they turned off the collar again for the ‘tests’,  
  
No one has really harmed him oddly enough. Well nothing more then a punch hard enough to knock him out when they catch him before he can escape to far from them at whatever base they locate him at,  
  
It’s a different room again meaning they moved him somewhere else while he was out. Where he was now is all but a spotty guess,  
  
The light are the weirdest kidnapers he’s had ever that was for sure. Giving him a bed to sleep in, clean clothes, food and water,  
  
There’s even new books for him to read each day it’s super messed up!,  
  
Wally feels like one of their goons instead of a captive for whatever the plans are for him, which leaves an awful taste in his mouth that’s for sure,  
  
He unties his bindings around his legs feeling his shoulders brush against the collar. He’s back in it again of course made sense after all,  
  
Fun no powers for Wally West.  
  
All that he can do now is wait and hope what he did when he tried to escape got the teams attention, _Will that even work? They all think I’m dead…my chances might not be very high,_  
  
No, No, This **will** work. Dick’s smart and I left the clues he would get ties to me and he hasn’t failed me before…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wally's pov in this story for the first part isn't lined up time wise with everyone else's POV so this is between Dick finding his failed 'escape' tracks and Dick confronting M'gann with the info he's found if that makes sense


	4. Help

Being an alien with the abilities to read minds M’gann knew she could just…sense things without making a connection to someone’s mind,  
  
It’s always unintentional. It still leaves her feeling guilty when she can just know how someone’s feelings before they could even work it out themselves, back when she came to earth with little handle of how her powers work or how the effect it had on others who aren’t like her it happened more often,  
  
Those times gave her a lot of moments that were utter trust invading to her friends or random classmates or strangers even,  
  
When Dick confronted her with his new investigation. She should’ve known what the flash of yellow she saw in her mind when he stepped into the room meant,  
  
M’gann’s been thinking about they’re conversion a few days ago nonstop since it happened. Since she said what she said and Dick gave her a blank look of hurt and said “I’ll drop it” to her, The worst part about him telling her that was she knew it was a lie not because of Dick’s history with lying is but because…  
  
She made a link to his mind.  
  
She did so without even trying too. While reeling in her own emotions about Wally being gone, Her control on her powers were weaken and in a short few seconds so many of Dick’s thoughts and feelings in that moment laid bare in her mind before M’gann realized what she’s done and stopped the link,  
  
Dick deeply believes Wally to be alive so much. His feelings were so strong on that fact, and he has no intention on giving up finding where he is,  
  
M’gann wanted to believe it too. A part of her wishes to be wrong somehow, Dick’s a logical person after all and makes sure he can back up anything he theorizes with a truth,  
  
But it doesn’t mean he’s not bond to let emotions blind him and believe in anything that would take the ache of lost away,  
  
_I don’t think…Dick’s grieved Wally. He simply tried to ignore how much it eats away at him that he’s gone, That he’s without him, The closest thing to grieving he had was back when his fever caused hallucination’s and it shared through my link to all of us a few years ago,  
  
_  
A few scraps of broken mental. A bit of wiring that was almost all ripped out of the walls and floor,  
  
Practically empty just like the last one. And the one before that and so on,  
  
Dick’s not giving up. Despite these bases being stripped down of any and all signs of what was being worked on in them, There’s still something of worth to him in them and it’s all he has on the trail to Wally’s whereabouts,  
  
Small gashes in the concrete wall or flooring, a few very easy to dismiss lines that can be blamed on wear and tare of the building, not unless you knew what they meant of course,  
  
Four lines made up wings and another three made up a bolt of lighting between those wings,  
  
An old thing Wally and him made as kids when they went against Batman or Flash’s orders to stay put,  
  
It was the stupid made up duo team symbol. It was something only they knew about…Well Bruce and Barry knew about it too and probably Iris as well,  
  
What’s more important about this symbol is if it’s here then Wally was here. And if he was here then he left some sort of information for Dick, _He used our team birdflash symbol to get my attention, You knew I wouldn’t believe this unless I had solid proof it was really you walls your a genius,_  
  
Currently he’s working on unlocking a door hopeful it has that symbol he’s looking for here behind it and whatever Wally’s learned,  
  
The door finally unlocked Dick grinned to himself as he stood and pushed it open. It scraped across the floor with a loud metal screech revealing a smallish sized room to him. Unlike the rest of the building through it had more things left behind,  
  
A wooden chair. An empty metal rod bed frame, some broken glass and a book,  
  
It didn’t take long for him to find their symbol, hidden partly on the wall where the bed frame stood,  
  
”Okay Walls what did you leave me this time” Dick snapped a shot of the room before flipping the metal frame over, there a small but thick folded piece of paper shoved into small 2 inch hole of one of the frame’s legs,  
  
The lump that formed in Dick’s throat when he unfolded the paper made it a little hard to breath.  
  
Wally’s message was written in Dick’s first language. A full message,  
  
Not the short explanation notes on what he’s learned and what happened while he was here or a list of villains he saw or overheard the names of. Plus an added insult towards Slide because of course while captured Wally had to sass back to the villains who could kill him and tell Dick about it,  
  
But never. Never, A full written out message to him,  
  
  
She ended up calling Zatanna.  
  
The sun was setting when her friend arrived. M’gann gave her a rough explanation of everything over the phone,  
  
”…Do you think we should-“  
  
”Absolutely not” M’gann was quick to shutting down that idea. “We’re not lying to someone like that ever again Zee…I won’t do it”,  
  
God it still leaves her feeling slimy knowing how they tricked Artemis hardly that long ago, It’s awful trust breaking and they shouldn’t have done it but…They did,  
  
Zatanna nodded quietly staring at her own clasped together hands. “Is it affecting how missions go? How Dick and Artemis work as leading the team together?” she asked after a moment,  
  
”That’s the thing Zee It’s not, Nothing’s changed after he told me about this” M’gann frowned to herself in mild frustration,  
  
It would’ve been better if Dick showed anger for what happened. To be mad that M’gann didn’t believe him, she felt like he should be ignoring her for saying what she said… _I should’ve kept my own feelings in better control._  
  
He just continued on as normal though. As if it never happened, does his duty as co-leader with Artemis leading the team together. Dick still talked friendly with M’gann and everyone else, broke apart words confusing still the younger members every time doing so,  
  
”Sounds just like Dick though” Zatanna remarked with a slight smile. Through her eyes showed a deep concern in them over his behavior,  
  
She sighed pressing a hand to her brow as she thought over what to say next.  
  
Dick and Wally were best friends. They trusted each other with everything,  
  
Kaldur use to muse fondly back when the team started out how the two were a perfect pair of trouble, Will always complained about being deemed the ‘big brother’ by Kaldur Wally and Dick when he came by for visits but M’gann could tell he wouldn’t have it any other way,  
  
Artemis back then teased them on they’re boyish behavior and Connor always secretly wanted to join in on the antics and pranks. No matter how much he denied such ‘dumb’ things,  
  
Even the few times the Flash was around he’d tease them both endless. Playful jabs and embarrassing stories on how much trouble they caused him and Batman in they’re early days as young heroes,  
  
M’gann paused. _Hello M’gann!,_ Staring back up to Zatanna once the idea popped into her head,  
  
”…I think we need to tell some of the others about what’s going on with Dick”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yeah it's coming together now
> 
> (also don't be to mean to M'gann in my story she's trying to be a good friend okay?)


End file.
